Project Dakota
by RBraquel
Summary: Andy and Nick have left 15 Division behind to work undercover on Project Dakota. Andy finds the task more challenging than she imagined it would be and the events that occur will change her forever.
1. Chapter 1

It was around 1:30 a.m. when the driver finally dropped Andy and Nick off at their cover location; their home for the foreseeable future. As far as Andy could tell, with the lack of lighting from street lamps, the building was made of gray bricks that had become dull and dirty over time. Trash littered the ground in front of the apartment complex. The entire street had a feel of neglect and in the distance figures could be seen standing outside of a small convenience store, which was the only source of light on the otherwise deserted street.

"Are you ready?" asks their driver, turning his head to stare at both of them.

Andy nods her head while Nick gives an emphatic, "Of course!"

"Ok, here is the key to your apartment," says the driver, handing two key chains containing one gold and one silver key each to Andy. "Apartment 423. There's only one bedroom but the couch folds out into a bed. You've got the files containing your cover story and the details of your assignment. Your handler will be in touch shortly. Follow the orders given to you and we should have this case wrapped up in a few months."

Andy and Nick glance and each other and slowly step out of the dark sedan. As soon as the doors shut behind them the car drives off, giving a reddish tinge to the surrounding buildings. They walk to the front door of the old building and Andy fumbles with the keys, trying to find the perfect match to open the door.

"Gold one opens the main door," says Andy. Taking a deep breath she steps over the threshold into her new life, with Nick following closely behind. There's no elevator so they climb the stairs trying to make as little noise as possible.

"Hey, if anything, at least we'll get a pretty good thigh workout from these stairs every day," Nick says. "Our asses are going to be even more toned than they already are!" Andy gives a slight chuckle. That's Nick, always trying to make her feel better.

They finally reach apartment 423 and Andy takes the silver key and unlocks the door. It's sparsely furnished. An avocado colored couch that looks like it's from the '70s, a scarred end table with a lamp sitting on top of it, and a TV sitting on a stand against the wall across from the couch. There's a bookshelf with a few knickknacks scattered among the shelves and about 10 or so books stacked on it.

They both make their way over to the small kitchen. "Refrigerator, oven, microwave," Nick says, taking stock. "Well, at least we won't starve." Andy opens the door to the fridge. "Hey, there's even already some food in here," she says.

A quick check of the bedroom reveals a full-sized bed, lamp, nightstand, dresser, and closet. The bathroom; a single sink and a shower with a lime green shower curtain adorned with yellow daisies.

By unspoken agreement, they both make their way over to the brown vinyl square card table just off the kitchen. Nick plunks his bag down on one of the chairs while Andy sets hers on top of the table. Reaching for the project files given to her, she flips open to the first page.

"We might as well get our stories down," she tiredly states. "I don't think I'll be able to sleep much tonight anyways."

Nick nods his head and pulls the file out of his bag too. "Alright, I am now Justin Vreeland. I spent two years at Maplehurst for running drugs and just finished my parole. Now that I'm no longer being watched so closely by the government, I'm looking to get back to my former habits because, let's face it, working as a mechanic just doesn't pay the bills. "

"I'm Alex Marshall; the faithful girlfriend," Andy adds. "A few drug possession charges. Probably picked up the habit from my loving boyfriend. One incident of solicitation for sexual favors. Ha! Apparently I'm not too devoted to you."

"Hey, those bills have to be paid," Nick says with a smirk. "I can't do everything around here." He flips to the next page. "Our target is Dmitri Vasilyev. He's a Russian immigrant who decided to start a side business of importing drugs and young girls to supplement the income from his shipping business. It's perfect actually; pay off the Customs agents and your shipment of underage girls and drugs makes its way to Canada without a hitch. Some of the girls come voluntarily with the promise of a new life full of opportunities; some are kidnapped for their looks. After five years of service, they are set free to do whatever they want."

"Yeah, except that after five years, most of them are so hooked to the drugs supplied by their pimps or they're already dead," Andy says angrily. "It's like being an indentured servant. 'Pay off your debt and then your free.' In the past three years 12 girls have been murdered. All rumored to have run away from the life. They obviously didn't get very far."

"These guys are brutal," Nicks agrees, flipping through photos of some of the murder victims. "Knife wounds, gun shots, rape. Whatever it takes to get the message across to the other girls. Once you're in, you're stuck. And unfortunately, we haven't been able to tie anything concrete to Dmitri."

Andy sighs. "So you'll be working at the shipping yard trying to get closer to the chain of command while I'm stuck here all day. Why did they even need me in the first place?"

"The shipping company is just a way to get the goods into Canada," Nick explains. "The real action takes place at a club he owns called Entice. It's exclusive, as in no one gets in without an invitation. The girls meet their clients at the club. There are rooms in the back where they can go for a little privacy. Apparently a few of the guys at the docks have girlfriends that work there. I'm going to talk you up. See if I can get you a job waitressing. After all, you do have experience. Stopping the prostitution ring is the endgame. The drugs are just an added bonus."

Andy gets up from the table and walks over to lean against the kitchen counter. "Ok, in the meantime I guess I'll help you strategize, see if I can pick up any chatter about the operation without seeming too nosy." She lets out a huge yawn. "Alright, I'm dead on my feet. I'm going to get ready for bed."

Nick jumps up. "Right! You can have the bed and I'll take the couch," he says, throwing his duffel bag in the direction of the living room.

"Don't be silly," Andy protests. "We'll trade off. One week I'll have the bed and the next week you'll have it. I'm not taking no for an answer. Don't go all chivalrous Marine on me."

"Ok, ok," Nick agrees, nodding his head in consolation.

They both quietly go about getting ready for bed. Before Andy closes the door to the bedroom she turns to Nick who is already lying on the couch. "Nick," she asks softly, "do you think we did the right thing? Leaving everyone behind, I mean."

"I don't know," he replies with a shake of his head. "I don't know."


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Rookie Blue.

Andy woke the next morning to sunlight streaming through the partially closed window curtains. It took a second for her to remember where she was and how she had come to be in this situation. Bomb. Sam. Luke. Nick. Cover apartment. The events of the day before seemed like a dream.

Stifling a yawn, she swings her feet out of bed and pauses for a moment to gather her thoughts. She hadn't slept well last night; just lay there tossing and turning, hearing the words Sam said to her over and over again.

_I love you Andy. I do. You don't have to do anything. I'm going to do it all. I'm going to do everything. I'm going to show you every single day until you say yes. _

He left her standing in the rain outside the Penny over a month and a half ago, but the pain of the breakup still causes an ache in her chest whenever she thinks about it. After hearing him confess his feelings, albeit in a slightly cruel fashion with the joke about Grey's Anatomy, she felt like they might slowly be able to start over… again.

But then the opportunity for the task force was thrust into her lap and the words her mom spoke to her also play on a loop in her brain.

_You're young. You've got your whole life ahead of you. Don't be that girl. That girl that lets some guy get in the way of everything she wants to accomplish. Trust me, you'll regret it._

So she chose the task force, but, God, she misses Sam. Just being close to him yesterday, for the first time in a while, was intoxicating. The slight smell of the bar soap he uses in the shower, his soft cotton shirts, and those brown eyes that are fathoms deep and hold so many closely guarded emotions and secrets.

To leave last night without being able to say goodbye to him made her pause slightly before leaving 15 Division. But, at the same time, she remembers him leaving abruptly without a goodbye during the Jamie Brennan operation. And he _had_ broken up with her. She didn't really owe him a goodbye, although she wonders if it might make it harder for him to forgive her once she returns.

Deciding to stop dwelling on things she can't change she gets up and walks out into the living room. Glancing over at the couch, she notices the fold out mattress has been replaced to its original position and the blankets are folded neatly at one end.

"Nick," she calls out, only to have silence greet her. Glancing toward the kitchen, she notices a piece of paper sitting on the counter. She walks over to pick it up and sees Nick's small, but neat handwriting.

_First day of work. I should be back around six. Maybe you can go and explore the neighborhood; see what kind of gossip might be floating around about Dmitri and his crew._

_- Nick_

After eating a bowl of cheerios Andy hops in the shower and quickly gets ready. Making sure to grab her apartment keys, she set off to explore the neighborhood that she now calls home. Walking in the direction of the convenience store she saw last night she passes a few restaurants, a Laundromat, and a store selling cheap cotton T-shirts with cliché phrases. There is not a lot of traffic on the street and her general impression is that this side of town is neglected. There are no perfectly manicured parks, just concrete apartment buildings, a few shops, and industrial buildings this close to the wharf.

She heads into the convenience store to pick up a few items. Their kitchen is already fairly well stocked, but she has always had a weakness for blueberry muffins and Coca Cola. She also grabs a box of brownie mix thinking she could make some as a surprise for Nick before he comes home today. Heading down one last aisle, she grabs some tampons and a razor because she knows there is no way Nick would have any of those handy. At the checkout counter she picks up an issue of Cosmo to flip through since she obviously won't be doing anything exciting for a while.

Leaving the store, she glances to the right and sees a small coffee shop just down the street. Deciding to grab her morning dose of caffeine she heads in that direction. Walking in, she immediately notices a young blonde girl sitting in a corner. She is alone and seems like she is trying to make herself as invisible as possible.

"What can I get for you this morning?" asks the chipper barista.

"Umm… I'll have a medium vanilla latte," replies Andy. That's usually not her drink of choice, but this is a new life and maybe Alex likes vanilla lattes.

After receiving her drink she walks over to a small table and sits down, facing the direction of the girl. She grabs Cosmo out of the grocery bag and starts to idly flip through it while glancing up at the girl every now and then. While skimming an article titled _Seven Sexy Things to Say in Bed,_ a shrill ringtone sounds from the corner. The blonde girl quickly answers her phone and starts talking in rapid Russian. Or at least Andy thinks it's Russian. Not being a language expert, it's a little hard to be definite. _Bingo_, she thinks. She waits for the girl to hang up her phone and flips through a few more pages of her magazine before making her way over to the girl's table.

"Excuse me," she says, with a smile on her face. "I'm Alex. I just moved to the neighborhood. Would you be able to tell me some of the good restaurants or bars around here?"

The girl looks shocked for a moment before she smiles slightly and replies with an accent, "Hello. I'm Natalia."

"Do you mind if I sit down?" Andy asks. Natalia gestures that it's fine so Andy takes a seat. "How long have you lived in the area?"

"Three years," Natalia replies. "It is not the nicest spot in the city, but it is home and it is what I can afford."

"Yeah, that's why my boyfriend and I ended up over on this side of town," adds Andy. "Plus he just got a job working at one of the shipping yards so it's pretty close to his work. Do you have a job?"

"Yes," Natalia says. "I work at Entice. It is a local nightclub."

_Double bingo_, thinks Andy. "Oh, that's great! Do you know if they're hiring? I really need a job and I have experience working as a waitress at a nightclub."

"I am not sure," Natalia says evasively. "It is very hard to get hired there. It is a very private club."

Andy's face falls a little. "Well if anything opens up would you please let me know?"

Natalia hesitates before she nods yes. The two women chat for a bit about the great food to be found in some of the local restaurants and which shop owners try to rip you off if you are not careful. Before leaving, Andy asks for Natalia's phone number. "I really don't know anyone in the city and it would be nice to have at least one friend," she adds with a smile.

"Ok," Natalia replies, ripping off a piece of paper from a newspaper nearby and scribbling her number on it. Andy does the same and they exchange numbers.

"I'm so glad I met you Natalia," Andy says genuinely.

"It was nice to meet you too Alex," Natalia agrees.

Andy walks out of the coffee shop with a smile on her face and heads back in the direction of her apartment. She thinks to herself that maybe this operation might not be so hard after all.

Andy tidies up the apartment and has dinner ready and the brownies cooling on the counter when Nick arrives home from work shortly after six.

"Hey," he says. "Smells great!"

"Thanks!" Andy says. "I'm just trying to show some appreciation for my boyfriend who has been hard at work all day. How did it go?"

"It was… interesting," Nick replies. "It's really hard to get a read on these guys. I'm the new guy so they all seem like they're being very cautious. I didn't see any evidence of illegal activity all day. I can see why it's been hard to pin any criminal activity on them. They're very good at hiding the true nature of the business."

He picks up a plate and dishes himself dinner while they both sit down to eat. "And get this," he adds exasperated, "Dmitri isn't even in the country. Most of his business dealings are dealt with in Russia. He has two men that he trusts to run his business for him; Petre Yusil and Victor Komova. So, it looks like I have to get close to them before we can make any headway on Dmitri."

"So, what?" Andy asks. "We just have to wait until Dmitri shows up in the country and hope we have enough evidence by then to take him down?"

"It looks like it," Nick says. "The only useful piece of information I heard today was that he's going to be bringing a big shipment to Canada in a few months. I think that's going to be our window of opportunity. This is not going to be easy." Nick releases a sigh before asking, "How was your day?"

"It was pretty good actually," Andy says. "I took your advice and went and walked around the neighborhood. I stopped in a coffee shop and met a girl named Natalia. She works at Entice." Nicks eyebrows rise in disbelief. "Yep. We exchanged phone numbers. I'm hoping she'll become Alex's new BFF since I don't have any friends in the city. I think she might be my best shot of getting access to the club."

"That's great Andy," Nick exclaims. "Hopefully we can work that angle to finish this operation up. The sooner we can go home, the better." He stands and takes his plate over to the sink to rinse it off. He quickly stoops to inhale the scent of the brownies and turns with a smile on his face toward Andy when the cell phone sitting on the counter rings. Walking over to it with a puzzled look on his face, he picks it up and answers, "Hello?"


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: I'm SOOOO sorry for the long delay in publishing this chapter. School and work have kept me very busy. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rookie Blue.**

* * *

Andy freezes in her chair and almost forgets to breathe as Nick picks up the cellphone and answers it. The conversation only lasts for a couple of minutes, but his face gives nothing away and she is quickly becoming annoyed at his short responses to the caller on the phone: "Yes sir" and "No sir." He finally hangs up the phone, glancing over at Andy for her reaction. Andy raises her eyebrows, silently urging him to tell her who called.

"That was Luke," he finally says. Andy lets out the breath she was holding as he continues. "We have a meeting with our handler tomorrow. Some guy named Cruz apparently. I guess they just want to check in with us to see how we're getting settled."

"Seems like they should give us a little more time before we can give them an educated answer," Andy replies. "We've only been here for one full day!"

"I think they want to make sure we don't screw anything up," Nick says. "After all, I'm still a rookie and your track record with undercover operations isn't exactly the best."

Andy rolls her eyes at his comment. "So where is this meeting supposed to take place?"

"Apparently there's a Laundromat a few blocks away called Spin City," says Nick. "We're supposed to get there right when it opens and head up the back stairs to an office. I guess we'll just have to bring some laundry with us to make it believable."

"Sounds good," replies Andy. "Hey, at least I can tell him about Natalia. I really think that she might be helpful in finding out information about the human trafficking operation that Dmitri is heading. And she's really nice! Definitely closed off emotionally, but nice."

Nick laughs. "Hey at least you have lots of experience dealing with emotionally stunted human beings."

Andy sighs, her mind immediately flashing to Sam. "Yes I do, unfortunately. Hey!" she exclaims, trying to quickly change the topic of conversation, "I'm tired of constantly talking about the case. Let's take a break for a few hours and numb our minds with some television."

Andy walks over the couch in the living room and plops down as if her legs can no longer support her. Nick quickly snatches the television remote and flips the television on, quickly flashing through channel after channel until settling on a reality show.

"Seriously?" Andy questions. "Cake Boss?"

"What?" Nick defends himself. "I like to watch the cake decorating process. They create the craziest things! One time they made a Bumblebee action figure out of cake! It had fireworks and everything. Although this show always makes me crave sweets."

Andy laughs. "I did make brownies to satisfy all your sugary needs."

The next few hours are spent in companionable silence punctuated by a few comments here and there about what they were watching on the television screen. Andy finds herself relaxing for the first time in a long time. The last few months had been challenging. Jerry's death and the guilt she felt over not being there in time to save him, Sam breaking up with her in the parking lot of the Penny, Sam reacting harshly to pretty much everything she did at work, holding a freaking grenade, and then Sam confessing his love for her while holding said grenade. Nick made it easy for her to be herself. She didn't have to deal with any emotional baggage between the two of them and she definitely didn't have any feelings for him besides friendship. There would be no worrying about whether she looked good after waking up with tousled bed-head . And she didn't have to shave as often since no one would be rubbing against her legs.

She eventually felt her eyes drooping in exhaustion and she got up from the couch to get ready for bed saying a quick goodnight to Nick.

* * *

The small, portable alarm woke Andy early the next morning with a shrill shriek. The meeting was scheduled for 7:00 so they would have time to meet with Cruz before Nick had to head into work. With a tired yawn, she quickly gets out of bed and heads to the bathroom to take a shower. Nick was still asleep and she silently bemoaned that fact that guys generally don't take as long to get ready in the morning as girls do. Those few extra minutes of sleep are like gold.

After showering and drying her hair, she heads to the kitchen to make breakfast. Nick is still sleeping so she starts banging the pans around on the counter, hoping to wake him.

"I'm up!" Nick exclaims, popping his head up over the back of the couch. "I'm up! You don't have to be so loud!"

Andy laughes. "We don't want to be late! Plus, if you don't hurry and take a shower, your food will be cold by the time you're done."

After rushing to get ready, shoveling scrambled eggs and toast in his mouth, and dumping "dirty" clothes into a duffle bag, Nick is ready to go. The two exit the apartment building and head out into the nippy Toronto air turning in the direction of the Laundromat.

Once there, they slowly open the door to the deserted business and walk to the back of the room and up the stairs, stopping in front of a closed door. Andy holds her breath as Nick opens the door.

A dark-haired man is sitting behind a large metal desk, leaning back in a wooden chair. When they walk in the door he lets the chair fall forward with a resounding thud to rest properly on the floor. He stands up with a smile and brings his right hand forward to shake both of their hands.

"Hi, Javier Cruz. Most people just call me Cruz though. It's good to meet you."

Andy and Nick return the sentiments and take the offered chairs sitting across from him. After sitting down, Andy starts jiggling her knee, a habit she has when she's particularly nervous about a situation. Cruz sees this and directs his full attention at her first.

"Andy," he says. "I've heard a lot of great things about you from Luke. He was really happy that you agreed to be a part of this operation. How are things going so far?"

Andy clears her throat before answering. "Good. Well, I mean, we've only been here for a day really, so nothing disastrous has happened yet." Cruz chuckles at her response. "Oh! I did happen to meet one of the girls from Entice. I'm pretty sure she's one of the Russian girls being forced to, ahh… provide services to perverted old men. We exchanged numbers so I'm hoping that I can find a job through her at some point."

"That's good," says Cruz. He tilts his head to the side a little and stares at her for a few seconds before continuing. "Have you looked at the pictures of the Russian girls? The ones that have been murdered?" Andy gives her assent. "So you've seen what he does to the girls that talk or try to get out of the life without his permission?" Andy just stares at Cruz. "I'm fine with you talking to her and trying to get some intel about the operation, but just be really careful about how you go about gaining her trust and information. These guys are sharp. They don't miss anything, and if they think someone is leaking information they won't hesitate to silence that person. Or you."

"So… what?" asks Andy. "Should I leave her alone? Gain access to Entice through a different way. She seemed like a nice girl. I wouldn't want to place her in danger."

Cruz sighs. "Andy, running this operation at all puts people in danger. Let me talk to Luke and see what he wants. I'm not trying to hinder you. I just want you to be cautious. We've tried gaining access to Dmitri through various ways in the past. About a year ago we were able to talk one of the girls, Marina, into giving us information about his operation. You'll now find her on page 23 of your case file. She was strangled, placed in a barrel, and dumped in the bay."

"Ok," Andy nods quickly. "I get it."

"Ok," responds Cruz before turning his attention to Nick finally. Andy zones out for the majority of their conversation. She heard all of it from Nick the night before anyways. She had felt confident coming into this operation, but now Cruz was making her doubt her abilities as a cop and her ability to effectively operate undercover.

Out of the corner of her eye, she notices Nick standing up and shaking Cruz's hand so she hurriedly jumps up to do the same. She and Cruz make eye contact for a few moments before saying goodbye.

"I'll call you later tonight after I talk to Luke to let you know the verdict Andy," Cruz says as she's walking out the door.

"Sure," Andy replies. "I'll talk to you soon."

Once outside, Andy and Nick pause before going their separate ways; she back to the apartment with "clean" laundry in tow, and he down to the port.

"Hey, I noticed you zoned out for a minute back there," says Nick. "Andy, I know right now you're questioning your abilities after everything that Cruz said, but believe me, you are an amazing cop with great instincts. I would trust you in any situation."

Andy smiles slightly at Nick. "Thanks. I really needed that."

"Hey," says Nick. "That's what boyfriends are for." He turns and starts walking in the direction of the port. "Have a good day!"

"Justin," Andy shouts, running toward him quickly. She stands on her tip toes and plants a quick kiss on his cheek. "Have a good day at work." Then she turns and quickly walks in the opposite direction.

Andy dallies around the apartment for most of the day and makes a quick, short trip around the neighborhood again to familiarize herself with where things are located. Nick comes home after work and the two discuss the events of the day, eat dinner, and watch television. It's quickly becoming their nightly routine.

Around 8:00, the cell phone on the counter rings once again. Andy runs over to pick it up. "Hello?"

"Andy, it's Cruz. Luke says to go ahead and try to use the girl as a way in. It might be our best shot."

"Ok," she replies.

"Just remember what I said alright?" he reminds her.

"Yeah, definitely," Andy assures Cruz. "Thanks for the update."

"I'll be in touch with you guys again in a few weeks for an update unless you need to speak to me sooner than that. I'll talk to you later."

"Ok, bye," Andy says before hanging up the phone. She turns to Nick.

"Yes on Natalia?" he asks.

"Yes," says Andy, although she can't help but feel this is the wrong decision after talking to Cruz earlier.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Two words: Sam interlude. I'm taking a slight departure from telling Andy and Nick's story because I wanted to include a little bit about how Sam's coping with Andy being gone. My version of Sam's past is included and there's a little bit of the Sam / Oliver bromance at the end. The story will eventually include Andy and Sam meeting during the operation bust. Hope you're enjoying. Thanks for all the lovely reviews. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue.**

* * *

Sitting at a desk in the patrol room after a long shift, Sam flips through a case file about a string of burglaries that all have the same M.O. He should be taking notes and trying to come up with any leads that might help them figure out who's behind these crimes, but his mind is drifting. It's been four weeks since Sam last saw Andy standing outside of the locker rooms at 15. He remembers everything in vivid detail about that day. From the absolute terror he felt when he walked into the food storage locker and saw her holding the grenade, to sitting at the Penny fervently hoping that if he just wished hard enough, he could make her magically appear at the bar, beside him, where she was always meant to be.

Four weeks. In retrospect, it's not the longest he's been away from her. First, there were the three months she spent in Temagami kayaking, hiking, and jumping out of an airplane (why anyone would want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane escapes him. Why anyone would want to set foot on an airplane _really_ baffles him even more).

Then, there were the six weeks of enforced silence, also known as the Dark Age. He couldn't believe he had been so stupid to just give her up that easily and push her away as if she never meant anything to him. The Dark Age was a bad time. After Jerry's death he had blamed himself for not being there in time to save him. And then having to sit there and watch as Jerry bled out was excruciating. He hates feeling helpless. It brings back so many memories of Sarah after the attack. Even at 9-years-old he wanted to protect her from the world. He used to play Superman, running around the house with a red towel safety-pinned around his neck, fending of the bad guys from innocent girls like Sarah. A best friend is supposed to have your back at all times... and he failed.

At the time, he had felt like things were spinning out of control. After failing to protect Jerry, he was worried that there would come a time where he wouldn't be able to do the same for Andy. And that thought _terrified_ him. Even before they started dating, he always found himself worrying about her well-being. He'd almost completely lost it with Oliver after he found out that she was inside a building that was perilously close to collapsing at any moment. He didn't even think twice about going in with the fire department to rescue her from the charred rubble. It was just something he _had_ to do. He needed to make sure that there wasn't a single mark on her beautiful body.

He is Sam Swarek, badass cop and undercover aficionado. If he's honest with himself, he really pushed her away because she made him feel everything: fear, happiness, desire, love, comfort, peace. All were equally strong emotions that he deliberately pushed out of his life in order to survive as a child.

He had told Andy the truth in the undercover apartment, the morning after that first incredible night together. Masked as JD's cover story, his father actually had spent time in Maplehurst. He doesn't have very many memories of his parents other than a father who was busted for drug trafficking and a mother so hooked on drugs that she never seemed to be present; just floating in some world in between the one he and Sarah were living in. Sarah used to take care of them, making meals and helping him with his homework. She's always been really smart. But after her attack it all stopped. He did his best to help out, but eventually the teachers at school started noticing the young boy who would show up without a lunch and covered in dirt because no one was forcing him to take a bath anymore. Child Protective Services was called soon after and he and Sarah were taken to a foster home. Luckily, they were placed together. Their foster parents were fine, nothing special though. No one ever did try to adopt them.

After spending the maximum two years in one home, they were moved to another and another until eventually Sarah aged out of the system and she was able to rent a crappy apartment in the city, going to school during the day and working at a diner during the night to pay for rent. Sam tried to help out as best as he could. He was only 14, but he was a hard worker and he hung around a local car garage day after day until they finally agreed to hire him to keep the place clean, paying him under the table since he wasn't legally old enough to work. Eventually, he learned enough to start working on cars. He continued working there even after he graduated from high school, although he did start taking some criminal justice classes at the local community college at night. Eventually, he completed the classes required to apply to the police academy, and after he was accepted he never looked back.

He spent years on the police force, protecting and serving the citizens of Toronto. He found that he had a knack for undercover work, especially in the Guns and Gangs division. He thinks that the reason it came so easily to him is because he knew the signs of a junkie, their need for a fix, how desperate they would be for a quick high. It was solitary work too. He enjoyed not having to answer to anyone but his handler. It gave him a rush knowing that he could play the part so well. He never worried about having his cover blown. He was that good.

Until the day a Bambi-eyed rookie, busted through the door of an apartment complex, chased him down, and arrested him. At the time, he was so enraged that eight months of his life were completely wasted. Now, however, he looks back on that moment as the point when he actually started living his life.

Confessing his feelings for Andy while she was holding a grenade was difficult. It's hard to say those three little words when you've made a habit out of holding every single emotion inside. But after they spewed from his mouth, it was as if a dam had burst and he needed her to know everything that he had ever wanted for the both of them, but had always been afraid to show her. It wasn't the best timing, and his joke about Grey's Anatomy was stupid and a little cruel, but as Meredith Grey says, Andy is his "person." Out of desperation he had begged her to give him another chance, but she hadn't shown up at the Penny that night.

He was definitely disappointed, but as he headed home that night he figured she just needed a little time to sort things out in her head. Andy… the classic over analyzer. He would see her at work the next day anyway. But she hadn't shown up. He cornered Nash after parade and demanded to know where she was. At first, Nash sputtered out that she didn't know. A moment later, though, her eyes grew wide. Grasping his arm, she spit out two words that chilled him to the core: task force. He remembers her mentioning that she had to turn the task force down, but he tuned her out, slowly walking away, his whole body feeling like it was encased in concrete.

It took a while for the initial shock to wear off. He couldn't truly be mad at her. She had been given a fantastic opportunity to aid her career and she had taken it. He wishes she would have said goodbye, sent him a text, written him a note, something. But he did the same thing to her once. Karma really is a bitch.

And now… four weeks. It kills him that he doesn't know where she is. It kills him that he doesn't know how long this assignment is going to last. He can't wait for her to be back in his arms. He can't wait to smell the scent of her body wash mingled with the warmth of her skin; Amber Romance from Victoria's Secret, one of her few girly indulgences. He worries every second that she is away that she'll be hurt. He refuses to let the thought cross his mind that she won't come back at all. Luke's not around to find out any information about her or the huge operation she's working on. So, he waits and prays for her safe return.

He vaguely notices a person stopping in front of the desk he's sitting at, but he's in an Andy-induced coma and isn't ready to wake up.

"Sammy," yells Oliver. "Wake up!" He snaps his fingers a few times in from of Sam's face, trying to bring him back to Earth.

Sam jumps, startled back to reality by the obnoxious voice hitting his ears. "What? I'm awake! I'm awake."

"No, you're not," chuckles Oliver. "You're off in McNally land." Sam starts to protest, but Oliver cuts him off before he can eke out some lame excuse. "Brother, you've been staring off into space for the last 20 minutes. Your mind is definitely not on that case file sitting in front of you."

Sam sighs, recognizing that he can't hide anything from the friend that knows him so well. "I'm just worried about her. That's all."

"Sammy," Oliver says. "You trained her well. She's with Nick. He's like a robo-cop. All that time he spent with the Marines gave him skills that you don't normally see on the mean streets of Toronto."

"I know," agrees Sam. "Logically, I know that she'll be fine. But emotionally, my mind is racing with all the ways that she could be placed in danger or hurt."

Typical Oliver tries to make a joke out of the situation. "Look at that. The emotionally stunted man is evolving, taking advice from a fantastic radio show psychologist. I'm proud of you man."

Sam just gives him a look that clearly says shut up. The two stare at each other for a few more seconds before Oliver decides to change the subject. Kicking the leg of the desk, he blurts out, "So, detective training huh?"

Sam just nods. "Well, I figured that I'm eventually going to get too old to work the streets. I don't want to be like you, huffing and puffing after suspects down dark alleyways." Oliver grabs his stomach, grimacing in pain like he's taken a low blow. Sam smiles and continues. "Besides, there's an opening in Guns and Gangs. I'm hoping that I can fill that position once my training's over. It could be nice, getting to run the show for a while."

Oliver reaches out his hand to shake Sam's. "You'll be great at it brother. Hey, are you coming to the Penny? Frank mentioned that Noelle is going to bring Olivia by to say hi. Baby in a bar. Gotta love it!"

Sam closes the file on his desk and stands up. "Yeah, sure. I'm not making any headway on the burglary cases anyway. I'm going to go change and I'll meet you there."

"Alright, see ya," adds Oliver, walking toward the exit.

Sam starts heading to the locker room to change. He's glad to have his friends around now that Andy's off on some adventure, but he still can't help wondering about what she's doing right this second. He wonders if she thinks about him too.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Glad you all are enjoying the story so far. I had a lot of fun delving into the mysterious mind of Sam in Chapter 4. Thanks for reading!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rookie Blue.**

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Andy is sleeping fitfully when the cell phone on the coffee table next to the couch starts ringing (it's Nick's turn with the bed this week). Its ring jolts her awake, leaving her heart pounding in her chest. She hastily reaches for the phone to answer it before it can wake Nick, almost rolling off the side of the couch when she stretches a little too far. Luckily she is able to jerk her momentum in the opposite direction, grasping her fingers around the phone, before her face becomes very familiar with the rug beneath the couch.

She flips the phone open, finally silencing the harsh ringtone and answers groggily, "Hello?"

"Alex, it is Natalia," says the accented voice on the phone.

"Natalia?," questions Andy. She looks at the glowing green lights on the kitchen microwave to check the time. 1:19 a.m. "What's going on? Is everything OK?"

"I'm sorry to wake you at this time Alex," says Natalia. "Everything is fine, but I have some news. Will you meet me at Angelo's in 10 minutes?"

"Yeah," agrees Andy. "I'll be right there. See you in a bit."

Andy hangs up the phone and jumps up from the couch. She turns toward the bedroom to see Nick standing in the doorway with a questioning, but decidedly groggy expression. "What's going on? Who was on the phone?"

"Natalia," Andy says. She rushes past Nick and flicks the light on in the bedroom. The light blinds her for a minute before her eyes adjust to the brightness. Grabbing some jeans and a sweatshirt from the closet she rushes back out of the room in the direction of the bathroom. Closing the door she begins stripping out of her sweat pants and throws on the jeans and sweatshirt. "She wants to meet at Angelo's. I'm not sure what she wants, but I'm sure it's important for her to be calling this late at night." She quickly ties her hair back in a ponytail before exiting the bathroom and stepping into the pair of boots waiting by the front door.

Nick trails behind Andy, watching her frantically getting ready. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, no," Andy assures him. "I'll be fine. Besides, she's only met you a couple of times. I think it would weird her out to see you there."

"Fine," says Nick. "But be careful."

Andy nods before grabbing a coat and heading out the door with her keys. "I'll be back soon. Lock the door behind me."

Andy shivers as she walks down the block toward Angelo's. The pea coat she had grabbed before heading outside usually keeps her warm, but the nights have turned decidedly colder as of late. The chilly night air feels like it just seeps into your bones no matter how many layers you throw on.

As she walks quickly down the street, she reflects on the past four weeks she's spent undercover with Nick. She's been able to slowly get to know Natalia. She considers her a friend. And while Natalia is definitely guarded in her actions and words, she feels like the young girl is slowly starting to realize that Andy genuinely cares about her. They meet every few days for coffee at Common Grounds, the coffee shop where they first met. Natalia doesn't talk about her past… ever. And whenever she mentions her job, she doesn't mention the true nature of what she is being forced to do, but rather that she is a hostess at a club that serves many wealthy clientele in the city.

Sometimes they'll grab their coffee and walk in the direction of the port. While this side of town is mainly full of industrial buildings, they eventually reach a point along the walking path near the water that is free of warehouses and trucks busily delivering their goods to be shipped to parts unknown. They mostly talk about Andy. Natalia is always interested in the details of Andy's life. Andy thinks it's because, in comparison, her childhood was completely tame compared to Natalia's.

Andy's mentioned that her mother abandoned her at a young age, but recently reappeared in her life. They're slowly starting to rebuild their relationship. She also told Natalia that her father is a recovering alcoholic. Sam did always tell her to keep your cover story as close to the truth as possible so it doesn't become jumbled. They'll talk about "Justin" too. Although most of the time, their couple stories revolve around things that she and Sam did together when they were still dating. Racing to her father's house before midnight to wish him a happy birthday, driving down the street and yelling at him to stop so she can buy some ice cream from an ice cream truck on a hot day, and then there was the time he surprised her with a trip to the park and they walked along the path, holding hands and enjoying the beautiful weather. They hadn't talked about anything important, mostly about the antics their group of friends got into at 15. But it had been a nice day. She had enjoyed being in his presence, away from the high pressure of their job. Of course, then Andy always has to go back to the apartment and tell Nick over dinner what Alex and Justin spent time doing together.

Andy finally reaches Angelo's and, looking in the window, she can see Natalia sitting at one of the booths sipping on what looks like a cup of tea. Luckily, Angelo's is open late. 2 a.m. for all the night owls in the community. The food's nothing special, but since it's open there are usually a few customers inside at this time of night.

Andy opens the door to the diner. The slight jingle of bells attached to the door announces her arrival. Natalia glances briefly over her shoulder to see who just arrived and smiles at Andy when she sees her. Andy glances at Natalia's face. No injuries. She doesn't look like she's been harmed… thank God. As Andy walks over to the booth she smiles at Natalia and slides in across from her. "Hey, what's going on?"

Natalia gives a huge smile. Now that she's sitting in front of her, Andy can tell that she's bursting with excitement. "I got you a job!" Andy's jaw drops and a look of shock crosses her face. Seeing Andy's expression, Natalia continues, "At Entice. One of the hostesses who serves drinks just quit and they need a replacement right away. So I told them about you and they agreed to give you a trial run. Can you start tomorrow night?"

Andy recovers quickly from the surprise of the news and reaches out to grab Natalia's hand sitting on the table. "That's fantastic!" She gives a huge mega-watt grin. "Thank you so much! I can't tell you how much I appreciate this. I was starting to get a little bit desperate."

"I am so glad we are going to work together," exclaims Natalia. She pulls her hand back from Andy's and a serious look crosses her face. Her voice drops when she speaks like she is afraid of being overheard. "I know I have not really talked about Entice very much. It is very exclusive. You cannot talk about what happens in the club… not to Justin, not to anyone. OK?"

Andy knows what happens at the club but she plays clueless so she doesn't give anything away. "I don't understand," she whispers. "Are there illegal activities happening there? Drugs?"

"Yes," says Natalia quietly. "But that is not all. Wealthy men come there to seek their pleasure with women."

Andy sits back in the booth, forcing a stunned expression on her face. "Do you… have you…" Her mouth snaps closed, afraid to finish the sentence.

Natalia seems to understand what Andy is saying. She glances down at the table and places her hands around her tea mug, gripping it tightly as if she needs strength to say the words that come out of her mouth next. "Yes." She hurries on in a rush. "Please do not hate me. I could not bear it you stopped being my friend. You are the only person I feel close to. Besides I don't have a choice."

Andy's mind is racing, trying to figure out what to say in response to what Natalia just told her. "Of course you have a choice. Every woman has a choice in how she uses her body."

Natalia looks at Andy through tear-filled eyes. "I wish I did, but I do not. You will understand soon enough." A tear slips down her cheek, falling onto the surface of the table. "Please do not leave."

Concern shows clearly on Andy's face. Her heart feels like it's being torn in two with the pain that she feels for this young girl sitting in front of her. She knows that she needs to see the operation through, but actually being in the same location where these horrendous acts are taking place is a completely different reality than talking about it with Nick or Cruz. She ducks her head a little to try and meet Natalia's eyes which are staring into her lap. "OK… OK. I'll be there. We'll figure something out together. I'm going to try and figure out a way to get you out."

Natalia looks at Andy with a wavering smile. "I wish it was that simple."

Andy reaches across the table once again and grabs Natalia's hand. They sit like that in silence, being comforted by each other's presence, until the waitress brings the check over, clearly intimating that it's time for them to leave. Natalia wipes the tears from her eyes and stands up, placing enough money on the table to cover the tab. "Meet me at the back of the club at 10:45 tomorrow night. Wear black and make sure you wear high heels."

The two walk out the door of the diner together. Andy grabs Natalia in a tight hug, trying to impart comfort and love on the girl. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye Alex," says Natalia.

The women separate, both heading home. Andy's mind is troubled. She knew when she decided to go undercover that the operation would likely be challenging, but she never thought that it would be so emotionally charged or draining. She can now understand how people are changed by the things they experience while under. She has suspected that Natalia is being forced to sleep with men out of fear of being killed, but it was never confirmed. Now it is. She wishes that she could whisk Natalia away to somewhere safe, but life is not that simple. There are other girls to think of as well.

She no longer feels the cold on her way back to the apartment. When she reaches the building, she unlocks the main entrance door and slowly trudges up the stairs before stopping in front of her apartment. She unlocks the door and opens it to see the glow of the television lighting the living room. Nick is sitting there. He's obviously been waiting for her, to make sure she's OK.

"What did she want," he asks.

Andy takes off her boots and jacket before she walks over to the couch and plops down next to him. She looks at him and says, "I'm in."


End file.
